Genetic disorder claims cheetah

Mysuru: Ganapathi, the lone surviving progeny of cheetah Brunda, lost its battle to ‘Wallerian degeneration', a rare genetic disorder, on Friday night.
Having taken ill four months ago, he was incapacitated by sickness. He was under observation as he had developed bedsores. According to Mysuru Zoo officials, the cheetah, aged 5 , had stopped taking food for the last one week.Ganapathi was the only cub from among 15 cubs of Brunda who survived for long. The rest died young due to the genetic disorder.
When Brunda, 8, was brought from Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve (South Africa) along with Maya, Tejus and Arjun in 2011, she was pregnant. She delivered four cubs, including Ganapathi. Brunda, who was paired with Arjun at the zoo, littered thrice, but none of them survived for long. Tejus and all 14 litters of Brunda died because of same genetic disorder in a short span, while Maya died of viral infection.
After efforts of the zoo authorities to save the big cats, especially following back-to-back deaths in three years, went in vain, the authorities decided not to breed the cheetahs. Subsequently, Brunda too fell sick and was taken off the display. She is being treated for a similar disorder — weakness of hind limbs — at the zoo's Chamundi Rescue, Rehabilitation and Conservation Breeding Centre in Koorgalli.
Arjun is hale and hearty and is the only cheetah now on display at the zoo.
Zoo vet K R Ramesh said that Ganapathi was suffering from chronic progressive neurological disorder that paralyzed his hind limbs. He showed symptoms of the genetic disorder 10 months ago. Besides being recumbent, the big cat also developed bedsores, leading to health complications. Ganapathi was being treated at the zoo's hospital block.
Zoo deputy director N T Vijay Kumar said that he was under treatment for a few months now. Ganapathi stopped taking food a week ago. Recent blood examination had revealed that he was suffering from septicaemia. Following infection, vets operated bedsores in the hip region, but the big cat died around 9.30pm on Friday.